


underneath the tree

by Magali_Dragon



Series: one shots and other drabbles [6]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, F/M, Mistletoe, Romantic Fluff, Surprises, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:14:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21827299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magali_Dragon/pseuds/Magali_Dragon
Summary: Dany and Jon exchange Christmas gifts and both give each other surprises.
Relationships: Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen
Series: one shots and other drabbles [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1567705
Comments: 25
Kudos: 326





	underneath the tree

**Author's Note:**

> Tooth-rotting Christmas fluff inspired by an adorable tumblr post-- again, praise be to the ingenious creators in the Jonerys tag. Enjoy :D

Dany trembled in place on the couch, her hands between her knees, pressing tight, unable to stop from giggling as she awaited Jon. She looked over her shoulder to the study, chewing her lower lip in nervous anticipation of their gift exchange. Everything in the house was set up perfectly, she’d even remembered to turn on the lights that he’d spent one afternoon climbing around the roof attaching—all because she’d made a throwaway comment about how pretty they looked on the old houses in town.

She’d lit candles around the mantle, a fire roared away in the great stone hearth that they’d both slaved over re-stoning and grouting. The Christmas tree in the corner, the windows open to show off the beautiful sparkling ornaments from their travels, shining bright in the twinkle lights wrapped around the big fir that she’d spent two hours wandering the lot, picking and moving and finally selecting the tallest and widest, with the most filled out branches.

This was their _first_ real Christmas together and she wanted it to be _perfect._ So instead of opening presents on the morning of, they would exchange their gifts on Christmas Eve, so they could enjoy them all day on Christmas. They had decided one gift for each other that year, not wanting to overdo it, since they’d been spending most of their money refurbishing the old stone farmhouse.

Besides, their two salaries combined weren’t much; it didn’t really pay in crowns to be a fresh out of law school lawyer and a military man. There was always her trust fund and his family, but they refused to take money from each, wanting to do this on their own. His military pension went to the fund they had decided to start for… _the future._ Neither one of them would say it out loud, since he hadn’t even proposed yet, but it would be for their wedding and any children she just _knew_ they were going to have.

Her feet tapped on the floor in excitement, the high heels she’d been wearing kicked off once she’d gotten into the house. She thought it would be nice to dress up, so she’d slipped on a crimson velvet dress with her braids entwined with black velvet ribbon. She’d put on leggings instead of pantyhose or tights, wanting to also remain comfortable. In her bare feet she padded to the kitchen, picking up one of the cookies that his sister had dropped off earlier.

She bit into the snowman shape, jerking her head up when the side door open. “Jon?” she called, shoving the plate of cookies away and swallowing the other half, barely chewing. She rushed out of the kitchen, annoyed that she wasn’t posing sexily or something on the couch, but when she emerged from the kitchen into the side corridor they used as a mudroom, he had disappeared, his heavy black military-issued coat hanging on the hook. She frowned. “Jon, where’d you go?”

“Not yet!” his muffled voice called. “Stay in there!”

“Are you ready for your present?” She ran to the study. “Stay out of the study! I’ve got to get it ready!”

“I’m in the laundry room! Don’t come in here!”

 _What could he possibly have gotten me that needed the laundry room?_ She slipped into the study and picked up the big wrapped box rather carefully, holding it under one arm as she opened the door, before grabbing it again, hurrying down the hall and into the living room. He wasn’t there yet, so she set the box under the tree, adjusting the lid with its massive shiny gold bow.

Her phone buzzed on the coffee table and she grabbed it, seeing Arya’s text. _**HAS HE OPENED HIS GIFT YET!? I AM SO EXCITED.**_

She shook her head, chuckling and sent back her response. _**No, not yet, do NOT spoil it for him!**_

Arya was clearly annoyed but promised to keep her texts to herself. She looked up when she heard movement, seeing Jon in the large archway to their living rom. She clapped her hands, jumping in place. Even in his black military fatigues he was the epitome of winter, his dark hair tugged back from his face, beard trimmed, and gray eyes shining. He was standing beneath the mistletoe she’d put up, she realized, smiling slyly. “What’s that box you’ve got there Jon Snow?”

The box shook a little in his arms and he shifted it, smiling shyly. “Ah…do you want to open yours first or…?”

“How about we open them together?” She walked around the couch, waiting for him to set the box in front of the tree before she grabbed hold of his front, tugging him towards her. Her voice dropped, murmuring as her eyelashes fluttered up at him. His gray eyes darkened and his arms went around her waist, tugging her up onto her toes so she was closer to his lips. “But first…I want to kiss you under the mistletoe.”

He chuckled, nose brushing against hers before he barely touched his mouth to hers. “I like that idea,” he whispered. He ran his hands over her back, dipping his fingers into the scoop back of her dress, fingertips grazing her exposed shoulder-blades. She shivered, instantly deepening the kiss, forgetting herself as she often did when she was in his arms. A soft moan escaped her when he lifted her up completely, her legs wrapping around his waist. He stumbled her to the couch, dropping her back lightly on it.

As his mouth latched onto the spot behind her ear that sent her toes curling, she remembered the present, hitting her palm on his shoulder. “Jon! Wait! Your gift!”

“Hmm, it can wait, you’re my real gift.”

“No, seriously this can’t wait,” she laughed, pushing him lightly off of her. She leaned back on her elbows, violet eyes dancing in the firelight. His fingers had tugged at her braids, the velvet ribbon snaking down over her shoulder. She pushed at him again, finally sitting up. “Come on, trust me, you’re going to _love_ it.”

He kissed her quickly, reaching for the box that he’d set down, putting it onto the coffee table. “But first, yours,” he said, grinning.

“Same time,” she said. She pulled the box onto the floor in front of the fire as he took the one for him. She noted that he had given her a similar box, there were holes in the sides and the lid was loose, not taped down. _Huh._ She slid her fingers under the lid, lifting it off and peered inside, her eyes widening, and breath catching. “Oh!”

Nestled in the box, curled around each other in almost an infinity symbol, were three little kittens, each one with a colored ribbon around its neck. One, the largest, a little fluffy black one with a red ribbon, lifted its head and meowed in protest, pawing at a cream kitten with little brown paws, who had a gold ribbon. The third remained asleep, a little calico with a green ribbon. They were all sleeping on a blanket with dragons.

He shifted on his knees, nervous. “I know we talked about getting pets and I know you love cats and spoke about how you loved the ones in Braavos that you used to feed and these little guys were at the shelter and no one wanted them…” He sighed, pausing his rambling. “Gods Dany, say something.”

Her throat constricted. “Open your box,” she advised. She lifted out the black one, who was crying for attention, cuddling his sweet little face against hers. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes that he remembered the stories she told him of growing up in the various homes in Braavos, always loving the cats that lived in the canals. She took a deep breath, staring as he frowned at the box, which shifted in front of him. “Um, I hope you…well…just see.”

Jon leaned over the box, reaching for her hand, squeezing. “Whatever you got me, I will love.”

“Just open it,” she laughed. She cuddled the kitten, kissing his tiny nose. He meowed, swiping out with sharp claws. _So sweet_! “Aw…my little dragon.”

The lid of the box came off with some assistance from its occupant, Jon’s jaw dropping when the small white husky puppy popped his sleepy head over the edge, paws pressing to the top. He yawned, awoken from his nap, blinking bright red eyes up at them, fluffy tail wagging, thumping against the cardboard. “Oh my gods,” Jon exclaimed, reaching in and lifting up the puppy, falling backwards onto the floor, lifting him up and over him. If Jon Snow squealed, she was sure he did it just then. “Dany! I cannot believe you did this!”

“Well we were talking about pets,” she laughed, repeating what he’d said while looking at the kittens, who were now awake, the other two trying to knock into each other to see over the edge of their box. She grinned at him with the puppy, who was licking his face, standing atop his chest.

Jon laughed, ruffling the puppy’s ears. He wore a floppy red bow, the same color as his eyes. “Wow,” he whispered, sitting up, holding the little guy under his arm, petting between his eyes. “He’s an albino.”

“It was why he was abandoned,” she said. It had been a bit of a splurge. She’d simply gone to the shelter to _look_. And she’d walked out with the puppy, needing a place to stash him for a few days, which was where Arya had come in handy. She couldn’t believe someone was so horrible to abandon a little puppy, but she was somewhat glad because now he had the home he deserved—with them. She sighed. “The shelter said that no one wanted him, they thought he was scary.”

“He’s adorable.”

“He’s mute too, they said. He doesn’t make a sound.”

The kittens began to screech then, little dragon sounds as they bounced around, trying to get to her. She giggled. Jon shook his head, laughing. “Well they certainly do.” He looked at the puppy, who was licking his hand, tail still wagging furiously. He moved over to sit beside her, arm going over her shoulders as she leaned into him, inhaling his smell of pine and leather and the faintest acrid smell of gun oil from work. He drew his knee up, the puppy curling in his lap and resting his head against his thigh. He smiled. “I think I’ll name him Ghost.”

 _Ghost._ “Perfect name,” she agreed. She pulled the box of the kittens to her, stroking their little heads with her free hand, while her other held the biggest against her breast, where he had kneaded for a moment before settling to sleep.

The warmth of the fire washed over them, most of her plans for the evening gone astray. She’d wanted to show him Ghost, get the pup settled, and then take her boyfriend into their bedroom and give him the red lingerie she’d purchased on a whim, but now she was perfectly fine to curl into his side with their presents and stare into the fire. She nuzzled into his neck, whispering. “I love you.”

He kissed the top of her head. “I love you too, but the kittens aren’t your entire Christmas gift.”

Her heart flipped. She sighed. “Jon, we agreed…”

“Check the box again.”

Heart thudding, she pushed back from him, brow furrowing in confusion. _Box?_ She kept her hold on the big kitten, peering into the box with his siblings. The other two had fallen back asleep on top of each other. Nestled under the bottom of the one, the little calico, was a black box. Her heart was already at a dangerous rate and only increased, fingers closing around it. She set the big kitten back into the box with his brothers and swallowed the egg-size lump that had formed in her throat.

They had only mentioned it in passing, once or twice when they’d moved in. She flicked open the small black box, unsure what she was going to find but there was…nothing.

It was empty.

Just black crushed velvet where she assumed a ring should have been. Her brows slammed together. “Jon?” she whispered, confused. She lifted her head, eyes widening as a ring appeared in her vision. He was on his knee in front of her, the ring that should have been in the box clasped between his thumb and index finger. She gulped again, looking into his eyes. They were filled with love, shining in the fire, and she noted there was also worry in them. _You sweet silly man, you have nothing to worry about._ She laughed, hands going to her mouth. “Jon…what are you…”

“I wanted to do this later, but…you were so excited about the presents,” he laughed. He gestured to his black Westerosi military uniform, rolling his eyes. “I didn’t want to be in this.”

“No I love it,” she said, pushing at his hand. _Black really was his color._ She grinned. “Keep going.”

“Well, like I said, I was going to ask you but…well…um…” He pushed the ring towards her again, suddenly shy, head ducking, voice dropping. “You want to marry me Dany?” He glanced sideways at the pup and kittens. “And this menagerie?”

The laugh that left her was like wind chimes, all the happiness she thought she could ever feel filling her up as she clapped her hands and kicked her feet onto the floor, forcing herself up and into his arms, the puppy tugging at her skirt, almost to pull her back from falling. “Yes!” she grabbed his face with her hands, kissing him, a loud smack. “Gods yes!”

He slipped the ring onto her hand and she got a better look at it, a sapphire with two diamonds on either side winking up. The sapphire was held in a setting that resembled a rose. Her smile faltered, realizing what this was. Jon confirmed in, nose brushing against hers and his hand squeezing her fingers. “It was my mother’s.”

She swallowed and nodded, kissing him again. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

After another long kiss, separated by the puppy pulling at her skirt again, she broke from him, laughing and lifting little Ghost up, his sharp teeth gnawing at her hand, trying to get to the ring. “Oh no, no, no you don’t do that silly _zokla_!” She gazed at the kittens who were all asleep. She glanced at Ghost, who had just noticed them, tail wagging and ears perked up in curiosity at the new creatures. “Uh oh, we may have our hands full.”

“I think so, the plan was for the ring to be wrapped in the kitten’s ribbon, but the black one kept biting me,” Jon laughed. He reached in and only the calico moved towards him. He smiled. “I think this one likes me the best.”

Ghost licked her face before he licked at Jon’s, tail still furiously beating between them both. He ducked his head towards the kittens, snagging the edge of the cardboard, trying to tear at it. She got to her feet, rubbing his white fluffy head. “We better get him outside, he’s been in that box napping the last two hours!”

She stood and as she did, the box beside her tipped over, the largest kitten getting enough momentum with the push of one of his brother’s to mount the escape, all three of them darting out in a series of meows, racing for all points of the room. She laughed when Jon stumbled, trying to avoid them, and then it was her turn, exclaiming ins urprise when Ghost jumped out of her arms, chasing after the big one who was hissing back at him, before Ghost turned tail and took off in the opposite direction, all three kittens setting after him.

Jon blinked. “That’s something you don’t see every day.”

She wrapped her arm around his waist. “Pets are forever, Jon.”

He kissed the top of her head. “As are you Daenerys.”

Her face tilted up to him, warmth spreading all through her, lifting her face to cup his jaw, kissing him again, whispering. “Merry Christmas Jon.”

“Merry Christmas Dany.”

The next kiss she was about to receive never came, because one of the kittens chose that moment to claw up Jon’s leg while the others cornered Ghost in the corner where he whimpered, trying to escape their evil clutches. She laughed, pushing away from him and going to collect the newest member of their family from well, the _other_ newest members of their family.

**fin.**


End file.
